The former Alabama lineman - soon to be drafted into the NFL - captured three national championships during his career, won the Outland Trophy as the nation's most outstanding interior lineman, and won a bevy of scholar-athlete awards while graduating with a 4.0 GPA.

On Monday, Jones outlined an eight-point checklist for success as the keynote speaker at the 2013 Bryant-Jordan Scholarship banquet at the Sheraton Hotel.

"What is success?" he asked. "Success is achieving the goals you have set."

Perhaps most surprisingly for a big man on campus at a party school like Alabama, Jones said he achieved his goal of not drinking alcohol during his college football days and not attending a weeknight party while at Alabama.

Jones needed remarkable self-discipline to achieve those goals - as he even noted he had turn down a "pretty girl" who invited him to a mid-week sorority function - but said it made him a better player.

Here's Jones' eight point plan for success:

1. Set positive, specific goals, and always have long- and short-term goals

He said he when he arrived at Alabama he wanted to accomplish three things - win a national title, become an All-American and become a team captain. He reached all three.

2. Commit to hard work

"You have to work hard to get something," he said. "Work hard in the little things. The little things are what's going to separate you from other people."

3. Surround yourself with winners

"You end up like your five best friends around you," Jones said.

4. Manage your time wisely

He encouraged the 96 Bryant-Jordan regional winners to "keep normal hours" in college and have the self-discipline to do what's needed.

"Time is a great equalizer," he said. "Everyone only has 24 hours in a day."

5. Practice self-discipline to make sacrifices

When making a choice, he said he asked himself one simple question: "Is this helping me achieve the goals I have seat for myself?"

He noted that every person's success is influenced by others - parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches. When he left for college, he said his father told him to remember "who you are and whose you are," referring to his parents and God.

Jones spoke poignantly about his Christian faith - calling Jesus his "foundation" - and said he plays football to glorify God.

It's fitting that Jones - one of the most decorated Scholar-Athletes in college football history - laid out his blueprint for success for the Bryant-Jordan honorees, since the teens essentially represent Alabama's best and brightest high school student-athletes.

It clearly worked for Jones. There's no reason it won't work for the rest of us.

Josh Bean covers high school sports for The Alabama Media Group and AL.com. Write to him at jbean@al.com.